IN THE GARDEN: Recycling in the garden

Monday

Jul 10, 2017 at 3:28 PMJul 10, 2017 at 3:28 PM

By Terri Harrison Cornell Cooperative Extension

Some tips on recycling in the garden.

■ Use several sheets of newspaper (no glossy pages) to control weeds. Cover with a thin layer of mulch or bark chips. Old carpet scraps can be used in this way as well, particularly in the vegetable garden, on paths, or in preparing a bed for next year.

■ Use empty water or soda bottles to fill up bottom space in big planters. Add piece of landscape fabric cut to dimensions of inside planter and place over the bottles. Then add potting soil. This saves money and makes the planter much lighter and easier to manage.

■ Put pieces of sponge (that are clean) inside an outside planting container mixed with the potting medium. This will help hold water (moisture) in the soil. No need to purchase special gel watering crystals.

■ Place empty containers — anything from fancy urns to old saucepans — under rainspouts to catch rainwater. Free clean water to water your plants.

■ Use pieces of broken terra cotta pots in the bottoms of houseplant containers to help improve drainage.

■ Instead of purchasing special seed starting kits, just make a tent with sticks and heavy duty plastic wrap.

■ Old socks or stockings can be used to tie staked plants (best, perhaps, in the vegetable garden).

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Terri Harrison is a master gardener volunteer with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County. Look for more gardening tips in the Times Telegram or online at www.cceoneida.com.